With Paul Jacob suddenly remembering something – that his wife’s not well – and pulling out of the mayoral race, there are just two in the ring at the moment. And if ‘Jenny and Fran’ sounds like a TV sitcom, it’s going to be grim humour.
The Magpie has the honour of being the first to reveal a Mayor Mullet secret … one of her council aerobics class is chucking in the towel at the next election, but he may be gone sooner than he thinks.
When love dies: the Anna and Jenny love story has come to a bitter end, but they’ll stay together to save The House and the sake of her kiddies, as Anna a calls her MPs.
They do things differently down in the Whitsundays … a councillor (guess who?) is pinged and fined for campaigning irregularities which he lied about.
And the one vital detail advocates of the indigenous Voice to parliament advocates do not want you to know too much about. It’s their chaos ball.
We soldier on in The Nest, operating as usual on the smell of an oily rag. Given current oil prices, things are a bit tight right now, and any help with costs will be greatly appreciated. Donate button at the end of the blog.
A Loyal Foot Soldier calls it Quits – With Impeccable Timing
Clr Maury Soars
The ‘Pie has it on good authority Clr Maury Soars will not seek to return as councillor for Division 8 at the council elections next March. He hasn’t said why, but The ‘Pie guesses because Maury is no spring chicken, he would like to retire with enough time to retain a little dignity after his shameless knee bending for handsome dollars of the past few years.
]Given this, it is quite possible The Mullet has tapped him on the shoulder, and maybe we can expect to see Maury get some lucrative do-nothing bum polishing reward down the track. In fairness, apart from being among the spineless crew, Maury has been one of the least offensive of Jenny’s jackals, so good luck, old timer.
But The Magpie bases all the above on long years of observing The Mullet working over her cauldron. Soars planned retirement is now seeping out into Labor nooks and crannies at a most interesting – and suspicious – time. Funny that he’s decided to have loose lips about his intentions less than a year out from the next elections. And that means no by-election is needed, just a captain’s pick to fill his spot.
And that means Mayor Mullet can lean on him to piss off earlier than he intended, sometime in the next few months, so she can install whomsoever she has already picked to fill the sudden vacancy. That way, come the election, her new Division 8 kneeler will have the advantage of incumbency and hopefully – depending on who – some residual goodwill from the well liked Soars.
Who’ve you got in mind, Jen, The ‘Pie is waiting expectantly by the phone?
Seems Age Has Wearied Paul Jacob, Too …
… and maybe it’s best that he drop his mayoral challenge, he clearly has some issues with his memory. Just as well he had a lucid moment, even if it was three weeks after he issued his mayoral challenge. Last Monday, he had a light bulb moment and suddenly remembered that his wife hadn’t been well for some time now (at least year, we’re told) and he needed to look after her. He wouldn’t have time to take on a mayoral campaign, let alone win it. It’s a mystery how he overlooked this when talking to the media about the dire state of Townsville.
The sudden restoration of his memory coincided with the premier’s visit to Townsville along with some Labor heavyweights in the background. So it’s a fair bet that had he not suddenly recalled his familial duties, he would’ve been told to drop his challenge to a sitting Labor mayor or lose his life-long party membership. So one thinks -if one is generous – he avoided a piss off from the party, who still sees a damaged Jenny as their best hope of hanging on to Walker Street.
Whew, that was close, Paul, seems you avoided a nasty career moment there.
So now, just two wrestle for the prize in this political wrestling ring of creamed corn. Jenny Hill will be trying to hide the true state of things, while Fran O’Callaghan will be seeking to expose the real state of affairs in Walker Street, and argue for a back-to-basics term at the top. The ‘Pie understands Fightin’ Fran is getting fightin’ fit for the year ahead, with her precautionary chemo regimen almost done and is already loading up her political scattergun.
But there’ll be others of varying value yet to declare an interest.
Be most interesting to see how the Astonisher reports the campaign. Given the general journalistic IQ in the paper’s bunker, it is reasonable to warn them that when there is an official campaign launch by either candidate, there are still strict laws about fair and equitable coverage of candidates.
Overall, It’s Been A Week Of Interesting Timings
Not the least being our premier gracing us with her presence, to announce a couple of verrry interesting moves, one an hilarious funding fairy-tale designed to bolster her numbers in parliament. And in amongst all the blather and utter bullshit, she made it clear to those who know how to read media leases that she’s had it up to the gills with our mayor. There were two dead giveaways with her performative visit.
On Monday, she had her deputy goof Smiley announce that Lansdown is now a government prescribed project, which means approvals of the state and Feds $74million can be fast tracked for the hub-in-the-scrub, Eco thingy. But this media statement included one sentence that was a code key to astute the political observer:
As a prescribed project, the Coordinator-General will work with the Townsville City Council to provide further coordination and structure an approach to de-risk infrastructure planning and accelerate investment readiness of the precinct.
For those not familiar with the sub-text, allow The ‘Pie to translate: notwithstanding that the TCC remains the developer, Brisbane, through the Co-Ord General will be the ultimate Lansdown decision-maker in future, because, as the word ‘de-risk’ implies, Anna has had enough of the bumbling, vainglorious and risible grandstanding of Jenny Hill. She wouldn’t trust her to run a chook raffle., let alone fuck around with millions of state and federal money. And after all, it’s their money, the council contributions is chicken feed in the scheme of things, although seen that way by the ratepayers.
Moving along to Tuesday, we had the most inane announcement from someone who criticised others grasp of basic financial principles. The Magpie was bemused by Tuesday’s announcement. This from comments.
The Magpie
March 7, 2023 at 4:10 pm (Edit)
Snaps Up, eh?
snap up
phrasal verb of snap
1. quickly and eagerly buy or secure something that is in short supply or being sold cheaply.
So, like an expert browsing a bric-a-brac shop who spots a lost masterpiece masterpiece going for a song, Anna suddenly comes across CopperString, and, in synonyms for ‘snap up’, she snaffles or grabs it.
This would have to be the longest and protracted ‘snap up’ in history. But Anna says we’re not to worry our pretty little heads about that, it’l, all be done and dusted by 2029.
Right. And I’m the Queen of the May.
But The ‘Pie shouldn’t be churlish, he is forced to admit that Premier Palaszczuk is a bloody genius – a financial one at that …. a few lazy millions ($74m between her and the Feds)$5 billion for this project AND AN OLYMPICS!!! Which is already experiencing massive blow-outs and fuck ups with planned venues that are suddenly too small, while at the same time, she’s told Canberra to GF itself, she’ll pay for nit herself because she’s gone against her agreement with the IOC and won’t allow any Fed reps on the Olympic steering committee.
How does she do it? Also, how does the premier conjure up the tradies and professionals to do Lansdown, CopperString AND the massive Olympics agenda.
Sadly, we’re all about to find out, particularly in this neck of the woods..
This copperString coup will be a considerable for bonanza for the Katter family, who will get a massively better deal that the Wagner Brothers out of this … while no one is quite exactly what it is that Anna is buying, everyone knows who’s getting barrow loads of public money. Tee hee, gurgle, sneer, threaten, gibber sword salad. Anyway, Robbie will be an arch cad if he dares vote against her in parliament now.
But our premier wasn’t finished with Townsville yet, announcing she was setting her own private office in Flinders Street, so investors would find it easy to get in touch with her. That truly ridiculous clap trap was matched by the Astonisher’s iditorial that she was to have her own local hidey hole.
Then, to seal the break with a distraught mayor, next day came Anna’s snippy put down of some waffle by the Mullet on the local crime issue. Asked for a reaction to the comment, Anna huffily told an inquiring reporter that what the mayor said was against UN convention on the issue, and she’d have to take it up with them. Which is about all we heard on that silly old subject people keep harping on, kiddy crime. We really should get our priorities right around here, you jugheads.
Talk about having a tin ear.
They Sure Do Things Differently Down in The Whitsundays
See this during the week.
This is the paper’s story here, but in a nutshell, former mayor and Labor Party head-kicker Moscow Mike Brunker illegally used council media for his unsuccessful shot at becoming mayor of the Whitsunday Regional Council (WRC) a few months ago. And that is a big no-no, made worse by the fact that he lied to investigators, who were either dumb or incompetent by taking what he said as true with checking. His claims that any misdemeanours were ‘simple mistakes’ doesn’t wash when it comes from a career politician who knows the ropes and has used them to his advantage when it suits him.
Two things that the Courier report didn’t tell us: who was behind the complaint … and that it is far from over.
Businessman Philip Batty
The Nest’s old mate, Phil Batty, who made an unsuccessful joust in the WRC mayoral tournament, was unimpressed with Brunker’s underhand tactics, and made a formal complaint. Council attempts to brush it under the carpet was like a red rag to a bull for Batty, who subsequently showed unarguable proof that Brunker had lied to the investigators, making patently untrue claims about his position at the time. After a lots of headless chook antics and doubts about $20,000 independent external investigation, council voted that Moscow Mike was guilty of breach and he was to repay the council $500 for his misuse of its computer, make a public apology for his conduct and attend counselling sessions to learn better.
But Phil Batty, who is anything but, has been treated so shabbily in his now proved complaint (including the council allowing Brunker to give him a personal spray, is now seeking an official explanation from regulatory authorities about why the expensive independent investigators had accepted obvious lies by Brunker. The only choices seem to be lazy, incompetent or crooked.
To be continued.
The Voice’s ‘Kryptonite Provision’
Indigenous Voice Proponent Marcia Langton
Finally, the bitter indigenous self-promoter and arch-racist Marcia Langton has been forced into the open, exposing her push within the referendum working group for enough power to severely hinder if not cripple the governing of this country. And in essence hand over the governing of Australia from the elected parliament to the Supreme Court.
A fevered overstatement by a racist, you cry? It’s an understatement if anything.
The issue that exposes Langton’s naked position is called ‘the executive action link’, a demand for the connection of the Voice to be linked to executive government in the constitution. In practice, this means if the government of the day disagrees with any suggestion from the Voice, the indigenous group can then challenge the refusal in court.
This would be much better termed ‘The Kryptonite Provision’. And Langton wants it! And how. She wants nothing less than a kritarchy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kritarchy
This from the Australian on Thursday (March 9), front page:
Referendum working group member Marcia Langton defended the executive government link in the voice amendment, saying conservative attempts to shield the commonwealth from voice-related court matters was “subconscious racism”. “I don’t understand how Liberal Party members and lawyers who profess the principle of the rule of law in our democracy – with its legal traditions – are insisting the voice should be exempt from the legal scrutiny of the courts like any other statutory body in Australia,” Professor Langton told The Australian. “I can only assume that their underlying assumption is one law for them and another for us. Every Australian has the right to litigate a government decision and contest advice leading to decisions. “Their argument reeks of subconscious racism. “Advice of the voice must be litigable.”
That is absolute sophism (the $10 word for utter bullshit) of the first order, and she knows it. Certainly, in a democracy, anyone can litigate just about anything, if a court decides it has jurisdiction in the matter. But in the case of a Voice in the Constitution, this would mean a disagreement between two groups of equal constitutional standing – the government, and the voice – could resort to lengthy paralysis of parliamentary action.
Constitutional lawyer and barrister involved in the referendum working group discussions Prof. Greg Craven sees Langton’s demand as an unreasonable demand that could ‘undermine the referendum legally, politically, and popularly … and could destroy it completely’.
He wrote:
“Review of executive action is a legal term for something very simple. It is about taking ministers and public servants to court over the exercise of their powers. The proposed constitutional amendment says the voice can make representations to the executive government. What if government decides to act even before a representation could be made? Could someone go to court to stop any action until a representation had been considered? This is not about invalidating a decision altogether. Rather, it would be delayed until the voice had spoken. The concept of the voice has always centred upon legislation, which could never be obstructed by views from the voice. That is why it usually is called the “voice to parliament”. But it does include executive action as well. This has become a problem. During the past few months, there have been suggestions that executive action could be challenged through the voice. Notably, two eminent former High Court judges with very different views of the voice – Ken Hayne and Ian Callinan – have each suggested executive action might be open to attack. Right or wrong, the issue has been launched. Hayne, a fellow member of the government’s Constitutional Expert Group, says the problem is minimal. In practice, the situation would be very rare. Anyway, it would only delay a government decision, not stop it. This is true, but unhelpful. Politically and practically, delay often means death to proposed action. Imagine the real effect of the High Court solemnly finding against a government process. The public would see total condemnation by the umpire. Future action would be extremely difficult. Take a practical example. In a national crisis, the prime minister urgently needs to deploy strategic aircraft in the Northern Territory. They are a natural target. The Territory has a disproportionately high Indigenous population. The government does not wait for the voice, there is a challenge, and the move is “delayed”. But time is critical. The political optics are awful. Government is paralysed. Some say this issue of “justiciability” is too abstruse to bite with the public. Not when framed around undemocratic judges, or a lawyer’s picnic. (If this issue is) left to fester, it will dynamite bipartisan support and the referendum with it. Whether by removing the reference to executive government, or allowing parliament to decide the matter, this shark must be killed.”
Prof Craven has been attacked by one or two other members of the referendum working group fo rsaying this, and for revealing there were a number of the group would be happy to see the referendum ‘flounder’ if their demands weren’t meant.
THIS IS EXACTLY THE SORT OF DETAIL THAT THE GOVERNMENT AND THE INDIGENOUS GROUP ARE TRYING TO HIDE FROM THE ELECTORATE.
And other matters to be alert to is any mention of the word ‘treaty’ connected to the Voice.
And this attempt at stealth and a reluctance to be open and honest in what the indigenous elite are seeking, may well prove to be their own kryptonite.
Meanwhile, the poor neglected buggers in the bush, sorely in need of assistance and attention, are still living in the dust and squalor of neglect while the Voice details are hammered out over lattes and smashed avo breakfasts in inner city cafes in Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra.
What self-serving mongrels.
Another Week Of Reductio Ad Absurdem In The Land Of The Free For All.
Nothing left to do but stand back and watch in fascinated horror as the new nazis, the Republican Party of America, drop all pretence of democracy Fortunately, they seem to be being held in check by the lessons of history … sort of.
Finally, American TV Host Bill Maher Shed Some Light on Why The Shelter Shed On Castle Hill Cost $4m
Of course, Maher has never heard of Townsville, but some modern rorts are universal, and what we might term the Castle Hill Lean-to Scandal, Maher calls the Free Public Toilet Scandal in San Francisco.
…..
Sorry if things are a bit patchy this week, had a bit of a wrestle with technology again. Hope to tidy things up by next week, but comments are still running OK, join in, its free. The donate button to support the blog is below.
Things are already taking shape for next year’s elections.
On the Local Government front there are currently two sides to the story – Jenny Hill’s version of transparency (commercial in confidence), and Fran O’Callaghan’s take on the subject (openness and honesty).
A recent example was Hill’s failure to explain just what happened to $700,000 (yes, almost three quarters of a million) of ratepayers money. She’s still looking for it, apparently.
I know who I’ll be voting for,
Then there’s the State circus – Anna’s drunken sailor spending (Olympics, Cross River Rail, Copperstring, Red Carpet Events), and Kid Crisafulli’s focus on Queensland’s biggest problem (kiddy crime).
A very recent example was the subject at two Townsville political get-togethers in Townsville last week.
The Kid concentrated on ways of ridding our city and state of juvenile crime.
All Anna wanted to spruik about was Copperstring and Landsdown (nobody was allowed to mention the elephant in the room).
Again, I know who I’ll be voting for.
2024 can’t come soon enough.
Thats a great scoop on Clr Soars. I bet stenographer Leighton would love to be able to come up with a story like that firsthand. Oh well, looks like Leighton will have to keep reading the Magpies Nest and pinching news articles that the Pie breaks first.
The ‘Pie is told there might be a couple more to come, one at least seeking higher office. But that doesn’t really make sense, straight-out retirement could be the only reason, because the LG election is in March, the state poll likely October. So if eyes were lifted to higher office, one could have two shots at being featherbedded.
PR, The good people of Mundingburra call Soars MIA.
Alahazbin, don’t confuse my comment mate as being support for Soars. My comment was aimed at the impotent Leighton who can never break a story of his own making. The Pie is long retired yet his blog breaks more stories than limpdick Leighton’s crappy paper. As for Soars, yes you are correct – Soars who? But many Councillors do what he does – sit on their fat ass and earn a living by doing nothing for their pay. Fran is an exception.
The Magpie has many more proper journalists than the Bullsheet.
Mayor Hill claims she has more to offer the City but based on her statements July 2022 Townsville Bully she had” the answer to fix crime” then October ” Council bid to relieve housing pain ” both those situations have detoriated , Then theres the Cities $700 mil + debt legacy . The Mayor , Les , Aaron , Scott must be concerned that all the the spin around last weeks roadshow very little positive response from their electorates . Rates due Tuesday .
Not sure about Maurie Soars being well liked. He’s never seen or heard from in this part of Aitkenvale.
Would’ve thought that’d be a plus for most of these councillors.
On the plus side Maurie does nothing deliberately malicious. On the down side, he’s too fucking gutless to stand up and be counted when something obviously bad is happening. But then the same goes for Russ Cook.
And this actually makes these two better people than the rest of team Hill.
Morning Magpie and thank you for the mention regarding WRC even though it is 300kms from the nest, not quite as far as the 400kms where the Adani Airport was planned though.
I was told in the public council meeting last week that I should hang my head in shame and be embarrassed over this matter, which I am neither by the way.
Described as a “failed mayoral candidate” who the people has said they didnt want is a true statement but this from Moscow Mike Brunker who also failed at the 2022 mayoral by election, ohh yes and also failed at the 2012 Mayoral Election, failed at the 2010 Federal election, failed at the 2017 Qld State election and failed at the 2020 Qld state election.
In September of 2022 he also failed to be elected Deputy Mayor of Whitsunday Regional Council where he needed only 4 votes in total to win. You would think that his second would have thrown the towel in from the corner some time ago.
However the major issue now is that it would appear the the council itself sought to change, or have changed, the investigation report independently prepared by Pannell Kerr Forster’s Integrity Division who were paid $11,500 to conduct the investigation on behalf of WRC after it was referred but the Office Of Information Assessor last year.
I will not go into too much detail here other than to say I have a meeting with the CEO of WRC this week, my first written request for a meeting was refused, my second verbal request was ignored but coincidentally within hours of me lodging a Request for Information (RTI) application and sending a formal letter to the CEO making a number of very, very serious complaints a meeting request was sent from his office.
I will of course keep the nest posted on what transpires from here. As you know from my previous interaction with the nest and TCC I tend not to go away.
Have you got an address to send ‘get Well Soon’ cards to Moscow Mike? he’ll be laid up for a while after that forensic battering.
Send them to Whitsunday Regional Council I am sure they would have a forwarding address in the near future.
By the way when I said he needed a total of four votes to be elected deputy mayor one of those votes was his own so he couldn’t find three supporters to vote for him.
Sad really
It sounds like Marcia Langton wants The Voice to also have an Arm on the lever and a Boot on our balls.
Magpie. You spelled “Coppersting” wrongly. This is the biggest sting in the i story of the north queensland area.
Droll.
Apparently $500 million is being tossed into the fiasco by the great Cameron Dick as a result of a windfall from the exorbitant royalty charges, I wonder how much the O’Brien clan, the relatives of the Katters received to ensure the preferences at the October state election. The project is a high voltage power line after all, fed by unreliable renewables, if it happens at all. This is Pallachooks olympic dream to the northern part of the state.
Gas exports from Australia have increased by around 20%. Of course Queensland could be making a motza from the Gladstone LNG facility in royalties but most of the money stays in the pockets of companies like Santos. You can thank Queensland Labor party for that blunder. Give our shit away for free. Morons.
Tradie, once CopperString is connected to the (eastern Australia) grid won’t it share power generated all over the place and make its own contribution from wind and solar? Isn’t that the general idea of the grid?
PS, is that the part of the eastern seaboard grid that is powered by the reliable small nuclear reactor that takes up the slack from the solar panels at night and the windmills that aren’t turning due to the lack of wind?
The NQ Cowboy brains trust will have the worry beads out big time this week and not just because the team got touched up by the Broncos on Friday night.
The front page of today’s Sunday Mail reveals a plan to establish a fifth NRL side in Queensland in, of all places, Cairns!
The plan is to expand the NRL to 20 teams, with a Pasifika team based in Cairns and travelling to Pacific nations Tonga, Samoa, Fiji and Papua New Guinea to play games.
If that happens the Cows can kiss goodbye to their fan base north of Cardwell.
Ff,
They are the North Queensland Cowboys (good grief, with that tragic name how can they field a team on lady footballers? But I digress. ) They are not and never have been the North Queensland & Far North Queensland Cowboys. (Cairns by definition is FNQ.)
So, fair enough, now Cairns can follow Townsville’s example. Forego water security, spend that money on a fucking ugly stadium to be used 12 times a year, 13 if you are in the grand final, and suffer being lectured at by your elected poli-bloody-ticians how lucky you are; OR not.
‘Lady footballers’? The feminazis have just pulled out the tin snips and are coming for you, Dave. But a name for the Cowboys female version is a no brainer …. they would be The Cowpokes.
Cairns has been trying to hijack the PNG bid for an NRL team for years, trying to convince them the only way they can succeed is by Cairns being part of the bid, they are full of shit. The PNG bid stands on its own and doesn’t need to be dissolved by Cairns trying to sponge of it, and if anyone thinks that the NRL would consider a team from Cairns when Perth, the NSW central coast and Wellington all have bid proposals they are delusional, money and TV rights decide these things, Cairns doesn’t rate.
Since last weeks comments re the old Garden Settlement, I notice a bit of verbal action on the topic. Looking at the facility from the road, the obvious reason it wasn’t ‘fit for purpose, is the lack of any security whatsoever to contain those poor souls that wonder off. Personally, I’d like to know what that magic phrase ‘riddled with asbestos’ actually means. If, like many buildings in Townsville, it’s fibro roofing, there’s plenty of houses in the city with that, and, if it’s fibro walls, the same applies. It may only need a small amount of work to bring the place to a reasonable standard. Has to better than a tent for god’s sake.
Not when the nanny state demands that simple asbestos removal be treated like nuclear waste, with commensurate prices. Another bullshit invention by government do-goodies.
Not sure about “do-gooders”, Magpie. When workers come down with fatal diseases because of lax regulation, especially if it’s years after the fact, government usually ends up paying the compensation. Reference ‘black lung’ in the coal industry. Heaps of cases have been revealed in recent years despite endless warnings and safety guidelines and health and safety oversight. Clearly, industry standards were/are not good enough. Pretty sure the mining companies aren’t paying for treatment or compensation, governments are. More recently, a similar affliction caused by silica in the manufactured stone bench top industry. Self-regulation apparently isn’t working so government may have to actually ban the stuff before the health system gets choked up with another stream of man-made slack regulation issues.
If the Pallarenda nursing home has asbestos which needs to be removed, regardless of who the ultimate beneficiary is, government must insist on best practice if only to protect the taxpayers interest. It’s all very well to give a bunch of backpackers a face mask and $25 an hour to throw the stuff in the back of a truck. That’s doing no one any good.
Thank you for EXACTLY making The Magpie’s argument. Show me a single proven case … even an unproven case … of a worker removing asbestos sheeting who got mesothelioma … or even a fucking cough. It is clear you are from the far left side of the tracks, and happy to use a policy of responsible government behaviour as an extreme to keep folks in thrall of non-existent threats. And yes, it is in fact all very well to give backpackers (as if the AWU and the ilk would allow them anywhere near a worksite) a mask to chuck this material in its most harmless state on the back of a truck. We are being slowly strangled by over-regulation.
Now, get out the Goanna Deep Heat for the knees, Palm, for their next sudden jerk to reply to this truism.
Show you a case? Here’s one from 2015:
“Tonya Fenton, 55, was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma in October last year [2014]. Her only exposure to asbestos occurred when she worked in close proximity to the Expo 88 construction site in South Brisbane in the mid-1980s.
In the early 1980s, South Brisbane was a very different place. Run down and dilapidated, the future site of Expo 88 was lined with old boarding houses, blocks of flats, industrial estates and fibro homes.
When Tonya Fenton was 25-years-old, she started work at the old Yellow Pages Building on the corner of Grey and Sidon streets. Just a few months later in mid-1985, demolition work was well underway to make way for Expo 88.
There was a lot of pressure to complete the project on time and Tonya said that the demolition site was incredibly dusty and dirty. She couldn’t escape the dust – it covered her car, her clothes and her shoes at the end of every work day.
Despite her office being completely enclosed, the dust still managed to penetrate their working space. Desks were regularly covered in a film of dust from the demolition site, to the point where her employer arranged for fresh hand towels to be delivered several times a week to allow staff to wipe down their work spaces. Another company was engaged to wipe down all of the plants in the building, which regularly accumulated dust as well.”
An extreme and unfortunate example, and may have been avoided by the simple expedient of a face mask, not 20 desk johnnies stamping papers, ticking boxes and adding costs by insisting tradies where space suits, all for a simple, straight forward situation like Garden Settlement. Too much nanny state bullshit by extending a very necessary and reasonable constraints on a very real danger when in large quantities and certain conditions.
Can’t get black lung from asbestos as far as I’m aware; it’s mesothelioma that gets ya.
I was using a filtered air system on a job last week (for nuisance fumes/particulates)
The bloke that was assigned to offside for me (from a distance) was interested in the setup and mentioned that his father and step father had both died from mesothelioma caused by asbestos. (I didn’t ask for the details)
I don’t do asbestos removal but have had quite a bit of OHS training over the years about the stuff.
It’s real, not just a case of the fun police ruining everyones party.
Then The ‘Pie has lived a charmed life, during which on numerous occasions he has handled waste asbestos from derelict houses, backyard sheds and the like. Suggesting every minor demolition job is a Wittenoom in waiting is alarmist claptrap by shiny bums and union bloviators.
Quite right about black lung disease, it’s is mesothelioma we’re talking about. Amended, thanks.
Sweet baby cheeses Magpie! We’ve all known Asbestos is an issue for quite a number of years. Just because you personally didn’t get a debilitating fucking disease from your bit of home renovation, doesn’t mean you get to suggest it’s ok to put people desperate for accommodation in buildings that have been declared unfit for purpose due to Asbestos.
You got stung by something unidentified when you were a child, didn’t you, Nuts?
Speaking of security at ‘old peoples homes’. (Can we say that?). In Germany at on of the said establishments they put a fake bus stop out the front and if a dementia patient having an episode went wandering, the usually found them at the bus stop.
That’s a piss poor excuse for lax management measures.
Just because something is possible it does not always make it a good idea. For example, Team Hill, line dancing, Team Hill, country and western music, Team Hill, and this, Slap Fighting.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-12/slap-fighting-the-next-big-thing-or-unsporting-stupidity/102083014
Highly skilled, ultra fit, mentally alert, tactics driven, mentors for children with perhaps a schools based programme, Junior Slap Fighting. A natural partner to science, maths, literature, and music. BUT it will have a place in the Townsville sporting and cultural calendar, I believe. Given the Mullet’s open, transparent, and honest interactions with those seeking honest transparent and accountable local governance I expect to see Team Hill sponsoring Slap Fighting as a regular crowd pleaser in between Super Pest car races. Yes, Slap Fighting, much more “Townsville” than the performing or visual arts, or even accounting for $700,000.00.
Now, now Kelso Dave, you’ve got to give Mayor Jenny Hill and her part time CEO time to come up with a plausible explanation for the missing $700,000. Expect an answer sometime after the Local Govt election, but only if Fran O’Callaghan wins the mayoralty. It’s a bit like the crowd figures for last year’s V8 Superpests – so bad they have become commercial-in-confidence.
And don’t expect the Townsville Bulletin to keep her honest. She spends too much of our dosh with them in advertising things that don’t need advertising.
In days gone by this would have been investigated as possible corruption, but we live in Crimesville aka Townsville, where crime certainly does pay. Just ask the out of control kiddy crims, who now terrorise the police for fun.
Jenny has that under control too, of course, we just have to defy a United Nations convention if we want to go with her plan.
Again, no mention in the paper about that gaffe.
Just how much has the council spent on advertising with the Townsville Bulletin and Seven Townsville over the past 2 years?
Maybe Fran can find out or is that also commercial-in-confidence?
I would have thought that a ‘missing’ $700k would be a big news item locally. But then again, we don’t have any investigative reporters based in our town, so who is going to ask the hard questions? But it’s a fair chunk of money so you would think that there would be some level of governance and compliance with the local government Act and you just can’t pretend that the money got spent, shit happens. Obviously they are hoping that the issue just ‘goes away quietly’, then they can adjust a couple of line items in the TCC budget and hey presto – everything magically balances! Keep at em Fran.
Actually, just spit-balling here to use the disgusting American baseball term, but perhaps this $700,000 issue is a display of arrogance which the mayor and her Prince hope will end in some sort of a ‘gotcha’ triumph for them. Maybe the answer is simple, plausible, legal and certainly not – can’t be – Commercial in Confidence. And they are just letting us keep raising the issue, and keeping the councillors in the dark (their accustomed visual capacity) until the appropriate time show us what silly, ill-informed worry warts we all are.
Maybe. But then, maybe not. Maybe the CCC might take a different view.
Could well be Magpie. A red herring to keep us amused, bemused and distracted while other shit is going down inside of TCC? Wouldn’t put it past them. They do know the playbook rather well.
“we just have to defy a United Nations convention if we want to go with her plan”. Yet another example of why Australia needs to distance itself from the United Nations. NOTHING good but lots of bad has come from this corrupt and overbearing organisation for a lot of years now. And there’s more to come!
The ‘Pie has long wondered why we pay any heed to an organisation which – and this is just one instance – has Saudi Arabia sitting on the women’s rights committee (or whatever it is called). We pay way too much attentionn to what a lot of these woke wankers think, especially when their hypocrisy is so extreme.
Russell, one good thing that comes out of the UN and similar is the ‘rules based order’ to which all countries pay lip service to a greater or lesser extent. So we don’t have every man and his dog fishing, mining, nuclear testing or sea dumping in our waters, flying in our skies without consent or getting up to whatever mischief with our resources online. You might enjoy a free for all but hardly anyone else would. And you’d be whingeing after about five minutes because no one would give a fuck about you.
A very confused offering.
I understand what Clive Palm Sunday is trying to say is that the UN has oversight of member countries and makes these countries, or States, abide my their runes of law. Things like aviation, environment, maritime, dangerous goods, human welfare – all come under the UN. Even the IMF. It tells the States what they have to do, and generally it’s up to the States to comply. We have to follow the Charters as laid down by the UN. TBH, the UN itself is an outdated money grabbing mob of grifters and shysters and they should be done away with. The League of Nations was abandoned and then the United Nations replaced them. We don’t need them.
Rollmop, slightly arse about. The UN proposes an arrangement and member countries sign up to it (ratify). ie. each country agrees to do this thing, even promises they will. It’s not as if we have to kowtow to the ‘international government’. The UN might be cumbersome, overly administrative and (maybe) expensive but the alternative – everyone doing their own thing with bullying, warmongering and chaos – is decidedly worse. Or so our forefathers thought when they created the UN after the war. Maybe we are entering an era when we wish we could fine tune the UN to call the big powers to order and live up to the promises they made instead of organising ‘regime change’ at the drop of a hat or proposing a $362 billion submarine purchase to keep Australia on a short leash.
So now we’re a defense expert, are we, Palm? As sure as the sun rises in the east, Tropical will be along shortly to point out the error of your ways.
Magpie, on expertise, you remember we were comparing hat sizes last week? In the Jezzine Art Gallery there’s a neat painting of a/the magpie in a hat, a top hat no less. And it seems to fit very nicely. Plenty of other local art that’s pretty classy too.
Our mates at Hillshlong have been called out in Parliament. Of course now that they have been outed for mismanaging funds they announce a ‘third party’ will investigate their finances. Shonks and shysters.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-13/hillsong-leaders-announce-independent-financial-review-/102087160
Houston, we have a problem.
From this morning’s (print edition) of the Astonisher, you would be none the wiser that the Fire ladies won their semi final series yesterday and are through to the Grand Final of the WNBL. Is there no one that mans the desk on a Sunday to put “news” into the newspaper?
As Mr RayBans said in Cool Hand Luke, ‘What we have here is a failure to communicate.’
Confusion in the executive ranks down in Rupert’s Australian counting-house and wheelhouse in Holt Street today.
In all of Rupert’s rags across the nation this morning, this double spread across pages 2 and 3 announces a recruiting drive, enticing unwary wannabee journos with some of the most hilarious lies this side of Fox News.
But on this very same day, News Corpse executive chairman Michael Miller admits to a struggle to hold readers with a significant but neat slogan switch, foreshadowing job shedding across the corporation.
Wonder if they’re still laughing in sneering down in the Astonisher bunker at The ‘Pie’s long standing forecast that the Bulletin will sooner than later become a Courier Mail insert three days a week, a shift that was talked about internally more than a decade ago.
Anybody out there who can send in a pic or cut and paste of the Fin Review article?
Watch out for a big pre-election announcement regarding either a massive expansion of the current Stuart Correctional complex or a completely new one on the hundreds of acres of land the Qld Government has there.
Isn’t that area mostly flood-prone salt pan base?
Took about 600,000 tones of dirt to raise the ground for the Women’s addition circa 2006
Kill two birds with one stone QED!
Watch out Noddy, you’re next; why can’t the “thought police” sensor the popular book all about deceit, betrayal incest, rape, murder, genocide, abuse of power and fairy tales…….. its called the bible.
https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/books-magazines/books/enid-blytons-famous-five-books-edited-to-remove-offensive-words/news-story/47a63bb79a5d870f19aed58b19469bb5
Also, it’s later companion edition the Quran!
Well, Israel Folau quoted a line from the bible and got kicked out of Rugby Australia, so obviously the “thought police” are already on to that.
His team mates were also warned not to comment/support him during that time as well.
Maybe “they” will go for Mein Kampf first though?
It’s got some pretty offensive stuff in it.
Well Muhammad married Aisha and consumated their marriage when she was 9 years old. How could anyone in their right mind be part of a pedophile based religion that is based upon that act.
… and today, the Pope is reported to say in an interview that celibacy is only a ‘temporary’ discipline for priests, and that in fact some sects of catholicism in eastern Europe allow priests to marry, and some do.
The Pope’s idea of ‘temporary’ is a head scratcher, but there can be no doubt that a priesthood denied the very relationship that they have always arrogantly thought it was their place to advise parishioners on has led to the widespread paedophilia (and surely homosexuality after lights out) among the brothers.
And just a littler language aside: ‘celibacy’ originally only meant not married, until it was further defined as a deliberate act of abstaining from marriage and sexual relations.
The Pope, the head of the Pedophile Church.
Yes OK, but all this piling on (Magpie mea culpa as much as anyone) does an unfair disservice to the vast majority of Catholics in our community who have been born into or have chosen their belief system and try to live by the good tenets that are embedded in all religions. Painting a picture of all catholics as willing supporters of paedophile priests is simply untrue, and many are even more dismayed by these revelations as someone looking in from the outside. The ‘Pie has decided it’s probably time to lay off this jibes for a while as a general go-to comment, everything’s been exposed (we hope) and while some may not be happy with the consequential penalties and general approbation, it’s time to give the laity a break. One beneficial side matter of all this exposure (no pun intended) is that faithful catholic parents have been given the heads up (no pun intended) and will be more alert to any change of behaviour in their children should they become victims of any tomfoolery (pun intended).
ie: temporary vs eternity
1000 year rule so far. There is a push to allow married men to become priests.
Could be a cunning ploy to do away with self flagellation … get married and have someone do it to you 24/7.
Holy Fuck!!
Unveiler if you are so outraged by Muhammad, perhaps you should read some of the Old Testament, and check some Caucasian history prior to the 20th century. Girls were often betrothed to much older men before they were 7 and married off before 10. Theologians believe Mary was at the oldest 13 when she is supposed to have had Jesus. And Joseph not much older.
Think we’ve all visited this stuff in our time, but let’s choose just what rabbit holes we want to go down. Comments to now on this subject are all valid expression of opinion, but other things call a little more temporally, like scheming mayors and premiers. Let’s not waste our time on highly subjective stuff, especially when no one is willing to put their names to it.
Excellent. Bout time this thread was ended
In the lead up to last Friday’s game between Cowboys and Broncos, the Townsville Bulletin published a story about Cowboys coach Todd Payten having a plan to take care of Broncos fullback Reece Walsh.
The story has strangely disappeared from the Townsville Bulletin. Can’t even find it with a search, but here is a copy from the Sydney Morning Herald (don’t think it behind a paywall):
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/payten-unveils-cowboys-plot-to-thwart-reece-lightning-20230310-p5cqyn.html
It is now history that Walsh carved up the Cowboys with a man of the match performance leading the Broncos to an impressive win.
Wonder why the story disappeared from the Townsville Bulletin.
Commercial in confidence maybe?
The reporting of that overnight siege in Kirwan was in the Astonisher was written in prose more purple than the mayor’s famous doona dress, but at least the front page was up-to-date.
However, since this paper is besotted with juvenile punning headlines, the kiddies missed an opportunity here when it was learned that the bloke who shot at the coppers before offing himself was one Mark Raisin.
Or maybe we’re just lucky they didn’t think of ‘RAISIN THE DEAD.’
You might be off the mark here Pie.
The “real” missed opportunity for the Astonisher is to hold government to account and ask where is the action on the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, there is nothing.
Townsville has a long and proud defence heritage and is home to more previous service members than any other regional area in the country. Yet not 1 State or Local government representative appeared at the Royal Commission when it held hearings in the city last year. A lack of advocacy that will soon be highlighted when critical ADF resources are place away from Townsville.
Trivialising actions of someone who served for a quip seldom works.
If the matter had purely been a suicide, it would not be subject to what you quaintly call a quip. I fact, it would not be subject to any comment at all. But if someone is going to try to murder police officers, for whatever reason, they don’t get any votes around here. But thank you for raisin the point.
Our daily astonishment from the Daily Astonisher.
If he was uninjured, what is he making a full recovery from?
I asked the same question in comments for that article.
Like you the Bullsheet did not publish it.
Even the Bulletin is prone to accidental good judgement.
Sorry Tropical, I’ve just checked back on this thread (a mildly laborious task here at the business end of the blog) and wonder if there’s been a misunderstanding. Are you saying you asked this question here in the Nest as well as the Bulletin but it wasn’t published here? Never received any such comment, which most certainly would’ve been posted.
Stercus accidit laundry bill??
‘Accidit in puncto quod non contingit in anno’.
The motto of Steve’s Belgian Gardens laundromat.
From some of his blasts, I would have thought Seneca’s line would better suit alium silere quod valeas, primus sile.
That’s how it was said in old Italian. In modern Aussie Italian the saying is “shaddup you face’. As Joe Sweet sang.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFacWGBJ_cs
That exchange was fun, pity hardly any of our descendants will ever enjoy the vagaries of playful language discourse, as their access to anything non-discriminatory or “offensive” has been denied them.
No more Jocks, Taffy’s, Poms, Wogs, Yids, et al. Just a Straight-Jacket on thought!
Yeah, generally agree with you but for The ‘Pie, there certainly are exceptions based on the fact that reasonable offence can be taken with words MEANT to offend. When I have talked about nigger, it is on the basis that blacks can use it – taking the word back takes the sting out of it to a certain extent – but whites can’t … and I’ve discussed that several times when looking at such matters. And that’s OK, black people have taken the impact out of a word born in the cruelty, ignorance and violence of a shameful period in the history of America, England and Spain, which certainly makes it meant to be derogatory, scornful and judgemental in the mouth of a white person. And if you care to look at the history of ‘yid’, with its origins and ties to Germany and the German language, you will see why I won’t use it. Likewise, I accept that aborigines object to being referred to as ‘abos’ for the very good historical reasons that it originated as a hate word before it became a casual and careless part of Australian speech last century. And I’m generally careful not to use it except on those occasions where I lose patience with the grifting indigenous self-appointed and self seeking quadroons and octoroons of the urban opportunists in the ‘abo industry’.
But where I really seethe is when I’m told, for instance, that ‘curry muncher’ is offensive to Indians … a complaint almost exclusively made by people who aren’t Indian … it is a friendly jokey term in line with the great Aussie pastime of nicknames, and I’ve only ever heard it used in reference to cricket, and have never had any of dozens of Indian friends even mention it. That’s possibly because they are not members of the self-appointed offenederatti. Same goes for Pakis (if we object to Paki’s as a diminutive, then logic in terms of consistency tells us we should take offence at being called Aussies.) Pom, Taffy and Jock are used as much by those it applies to as any outsider, and cannot be objectionable unless you expect those folks to be ashamed of their origins. And here in Australia, I have NEVER heard anyone being genuinely offended by the term ‘cockroach’, ‘cane toad’ and for us oldies, ‘banana bender’. In this same vein, if a woman is happy to call herself a lesbian in Australia, where is the offence in the great Australian tradition of shortening words to end in ‘a’ or ‘o’ of terming yourself a ‘lezzo’. However, The ‘Pie accepts that many slang terms involving homosexualy, ‘shirt lifter’, ‘freckle puncher’, ‘dung funneler’, ‘rug muncher’ and so on, all concentrate on the physical aspect and completely deny that there may be genuine affection, love and commitment to companionship.
Two things would go a long way to sidelining this manufactured problem … a bit of common sense about whether something can reasonably be considered as hurtful to an individual and/or race, but more importantly, the zsecond thing directed to those mincing virtue signallers and shadow flinchers: STOP BEING OFFENDED – UNINVITED – ON OTHER PEOPLE’S BEHALF.
In other words, just fuck off. Please.
The lightning strike probably hit his backyard, he felt a tingle and shit himself with fright. A story about nothing. A Seinfeld
Moment.
The ‘Pie suspects it was an envious copy-cat attempt because of the Brisbane golfer who is at death’s door because of a lightning strike. (Yes, yes, we all know Lee Trevino’s joke about even God can’t hit a one-iron. So thank you, saved you the trouble.)
Lee Trevino: awesome player and funny too. I remember the Pro/Celebrity golf show in the 70/80’s. He was by far the most entertaining.
Another of Trevino’s famous lines, said live on BBC TV: ‘I only hit two good balls all day, and that was when I trod on a rake in the bunker.’
The astonisher .. a gift that just keeps giving ..
That would be the GITs that keep on giving, no?
I have a very strong suspicion a meeting between the Mayor, council staff and The Minister for Resources on the 18 November 2022 has contributed to to a rift, if any between the premier and the Mayor. This meeting has been documented in the Ministerial Diary of the Minister for Resources.
Because of information in hand and events leading up to the above mentioned date, I suspect the details of this meeting could reveal the TCC has been acting outside their powers and maybe even requesting a change in legislation which could have severely impacted the future rights of all Queenslanders.
And why donyou suspect all this?
You do understand the meaning of ‘suspect’, don’t you, Donald’s Wrinkly Bits? It’s the same as why you probably don’t.
Oh! I was hopeful for some tantalising insights
I am happy to give you the $54.00 application fee for the RTI application to obtain details of that meeting.
If there is nothing of any consequence in a successful response then my suspicions will be wrong.
Off you go then, generous offer, thanks. Let us know how you get on.
(Comment via Magpie’ email)
The obvious point about the premier opening a private office in Townsville is that it is an admission (finally) that her three local members are in political trouble. By opening an office in Townsville and by staffing it with as many taxpayer funded Labor party operatives and media spinners as possible, the ALP can move into Townsville some extra assistance for the local members. The staff will have almost nothing else to do but work for the re-election of the Three Blind Mice.
AND there is the crucial added advantage that the Office of the Premier can attract (and pay) a much higher calibre of staff (not difficult in Townsville) than a local member’s office.
In that way, the ALP can move, at Qld taxpayers expense, some much higher quality party operatives whose almost sole job is to run interference with any criticism of Walker, Harper or Stewart.
The Bulletin not surprisingly failed to make this point and swallowed with lip-smacking delight the premier’s tasty plate of tripe about ‘helping investment in the north’.
There is now absolutely no excuse for the Bulletin to not check numbers and roles of the Premier’s Townsville staff. The problem is of course, should they dare a question, they will believe that ‘the premier requires two relieving tea ladies, and four staff four shredding duties.’
I also suspect that having an office in Townsville will also allow her operatives and others to provide more support to the ALP members in Far North Queensland (Curtis Pitt – Mulgrave, Craig Crawford – Cairns, Michael Healy – Barron River and Cynthia Liu – Cook). Whispers are that the ALP are worried that three of these members may be in trouble at the 2024 elections. Like Townsville, the Cairns community have had enough of juvenile crime, lack of public health services, traffic gridlock particularly the Cook Highway from the Cairns CBD to Kewarra Beach, no action on upgrading the Karanda Range Road as usage and the number of accidents increases and the list goes on.
Don’t start digging on the Smithfield bypass. I was up there just after it was completed and there was a stench of corruption about it. Did some research at the time after coming home and found an obscure Brisbane based firm awarded the contract.
That said they ballsed the whole thing up, was talking to the locals up there in November when we spent 4 days on Trinity Beach and the traffic problems still remain especially at the traffic lights that were meant to be 200m further down the road that never happened as the funding ran out.
The Premier’s Office in Townsville is nothing but spin.
Remember when the Premier announced with great fanfare that Energy Queensland (the merged entity of Ergon and Energex) Head Office was on Flinders St with CEO taking up residence in Townsville. Well that lasted a few days until they all pissed off back to Brisbane. https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/78960
None of our leaders (Mayor, Cupcake, Harpic, or the perennial Nightwatchman Les) hold their Brisbane ALP colleagues to account for vacuous promises to new jobs, new office or new laws.
All valid points, but The ‘Pie is leaning more heavily in the direction of Free Willy’s analysis, which makes perfect sense. Thing to watch for now is just when the premier’s private office is created … probably closer to the election to save money.
The Mullet might have picked a fight she cannot win.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02ohCUQaV45mJK51rQrb4NvZbxNcL55HdzGMzDehExmTUziLNFfgtcLnmxnBQKgMJNl&id=100044497683832
Couldn’t cope with sharing the stage with Phillip Thompson at today’s citizenship ceremony so she banned him from handing out the flags. Now that she has a photographer on staff, doesn’t want any photos with him in it.
Comments already hidden on her post on her FB post about the same event. Punters have had a gutful of her petty vitriol.
That’s got more than a whiff of all over red rover.
Here is the comment The Magpie has just posted on Phil’s FB page … seriously, as the mayor of a garrison city full of people who have sworn allegiance to our flag and country, this must surely be the end for this despicable woman.
Malcolm Magpie
My opinion of the mayor is no secret, but this tells the world she is unravelling spectacularly. You and Fran have her well and truly spooked. But Phil, you too were in error here, by allowing her to stop you …. you could’ve insisted on your chosen hand-out role (for chrissake, OUR flag for new citizens, what the fuck was this egomaniac thinking?), and see what happened if she heavied you as our popular Federal MP, war veteran and patriotic Australian – publicly bounce you? … she’d be out of office by month’s end, instead we poor bastards still have to wait 11 months to send her packing.
Just because it’s his “chosen” role doesn’t mean that it is his right to hand out flags.
So it’s wrong to hand out Australian flags to new citizens? On behalf of the national government from which they have just received citizenship?
Even by the Mullets already rock bottom standards that it pretty low. it is the sort of thing Phil OAM needs to use to stab the Rotten Mullet in the eye with in parliament.
I wonder if this will make it in to the Bullsheet. Jimmy are you still here?
Sorry, Jimmy’s away on what he terms ‘more important stories like ‘valiant young tot bravely battling ingrown toenail – mother hysterical’.
Isn’t it just pathetic. Jenny runs around ‘TCC budget, TCC budget’ like she has forgotten it is ratepayers funds she is referring to.
The Mooney boy has also entered into the pathetic little game I see sharing Jenny’s post on Facebook.
Interesting to note on his disclosure of interest that he doesn’t own property and therefore doesn’t pay rates.
If he doesn’t contribute to this city as a rate payer then why is he deciding where our hard earned money is spent!!
The mooney boy is going on this rant about how Phil OAM chucked a spat about giving out gifts he didn’t pay for (his words on Facebook).
The irony being is the mooney boy is out there handing out gifts HE didn’t pay for and making decisions about OUR money.
TOUCHE.
And has anyone noted the very clever headline. Whoever came up with that gets a pat on the back from The n’Pie.
Jenny ‘unhinged’ Hill has completely lost it. When Anna Alphabet recently visited Townsville she either told Hill to start a public war with the LNP’ or she told Jenny she no longer has Labor’s support. What else could explain the Mullets actions? Then again, it might be something as simple as the fact that she is a nasty and pathetic human being who is just doing what comes naturally. If she keeps going the way she is she will end up being run out of town. And how sweet that would be.
Don’t you realise that Jenny Hill is important.
She counts GotEm Adani as one of her good mates. That says it all.
Having Fran the Woodstock Whiner as Mayor would be akin to having Bob Katter as PM. Are we not bogan enough? Can’t the opposers to another term of Ms Hill find a more polished and erudite candidate?
Whiner? Bogan? By the first, you somehow mean someone who exposes the fiscal and moral shortcomings of a dictatorial egomaniac who has single handedly put Townsville back a decade or more in development, deals with corporate crooks, has a panic attack at the merest criticism or exposure of shortcomings, and has now dishonoured the lifeblood of this city, the military, for crass petty political reasons.
And bogan? Not many fully qualified and vastly experienced quantity surveyors who own an successful and independent cattle breeding property fit in the category of nose-picking layabout bogans who whine about the state Townsville has sunk to … and then go out and vote for Mayor Mullet again.
Wakey, wakey, Lab Rat, all that time bumping into the maze walls looking for cheese has obviously given you concussion.
Well of course, as you are a Bogan and a Whiner as well Magpie, you could be feigning outrage on your own behalf. My family have lived in the Woodstock area since the 1870s and still do. I have been gifted this description from them.
That’s it? that’s all you’ve got? Crash helmet and crayons for you, mate.
Alright everybody, go easy on the Laboratory Rat. The sight of the experimentation was clearly the brain resulting in impaired judgment and confusion.
Scab Rat, so you are a direct descendant of Townsville’s equivalent of Deliverance! Get back to playing your banjo, muppet.
Lab Rat, forget your family have lived in the Woodstock area since whenever…you’re really The Mullet and not game to comment here as plain old Jenny Hill ! Your monika makes sense…you were a scientist’s assistant before ingesting too much ether and decided to have a chop at local politics with most of the other useless drones ! Bet you still have an old picture of Magpie in your favourite Glomesh purse. Fool !!
Shit, no sleep for The Magpie tonight.
Deary me, now I am Ms Hill supposedly. You Cookers on here take the cake. Not a scientist either. Just a person who ventured on to this fetid site thinking contrasting opinions may be educational. Magpie, you grow more narrow minded every week. Do better.
So narrow minded that I’ve published all your comments. Shame on me (but keep reading, dreamboat).
Pie, Isn’t there a photo of the mullet proudly holding a Coke can with the word ‘Bogan’. So who is the bogan.
She is proud of it being identified as a bogan, that’s her morally moribund constituency … and they lap it up, while occasionally wondering why life is tough in Townsville for their ilk.
Serious question, has anyone here promoting/endorsing this candidate actually met or dealt with her?
Lab rat, I’m sure that you are very well versed in the concept of ‘polished’. Now, haven’t you got a Mayor or Councillor to go and polish?
Did you read my first bit. I did not endorse Ms Hill. I did ask if there was going to be a more presentable candidate than Fran. Surely, one of you lot on here is smart enough to do the job. Sure, respond with personal insults. I am fine with that. The tone of this site has deteriorated greatly in the last year. It is no wonder that it runs on the smell of an oily rag.
And The Magpie did not say you endorsed Hill, just commented on your unfocused and inaccurate spray at a woman of integrity and soldiers on although a victim of bullying by Hill, Bligh and crew … just because you appear to be a political fashionista about perceived appearances doesn’t mean you are protected from some critical examination yourself, snowflake.
Ok Lab Rat, are you Palm Sunday in disguise aka Dolan, or just a Rat?
We are not all mugs, as you will find out come the election.
Ar din nows they had that edumacation thing at Woodstock. Ar thunked all they polished was rocks and rooted there’s own sisters.
The ‘Pie read this several times, and still hasn’t a clue at what appears to bde an attempt at humour. But had to admire covering everything from geology, lapidary to incest, kinda fascinating.
Best leave the humour to those who aren’t yet into their third Pimms No 1 Cup of the twilight.
With interest rates rising, I am wondering if TCC budgeted for the increased costs associated with servicing its debts? How much have our debt repayments risen? We are heavily indebted and rising interest rates will have a direct impact on TCC’s bottom line. Has the Mayor and part-time CEO put a mitigation strategy in place? Will Jimmy Olsen ask the Mayor some tough questions regarding this issue? With banks starting to collapse in the USA I wonder if TCC is concerned about future contagion which could impact TCC’s finances???
This is serious petty bullshit. Everyone is struggling with unprecedented and illogical interest rate rises from the reserve bank. As much as I despise the decisions made at TCC using this as a reason to point score is fucking lame.
Did you budget for fuel prices, groceries to increase and interest rates on borrowings to increase rapidly, while the interest on savings has not?
For a start, making the word ‘serious’ a qualifier for ‘petty’ is an interesting departure from accepted grammatical procedure. Somewhat of an oxymoron.
But anyway, what point scoring, and why are legitimate questions lame? The whole thrust of C de M post was asking legitimate questions – which in all honesty did not sound accusatory at all – to which a decent and involved community leader would inform us, treating us like adults rather than natives who are only interested in beads and blankets and the occasional pop show/car race/footy match.
Thanks Pie. My questions were absolutely legitimate. My rates money is extracted from me and spent by TCC and I would like to know if their risk matrix includes a mitigation strategy for a financial collapse. After all, it’s only 15 years since the last collapse and we all know that TCC’s debt has ballooned in the past decade alone. Ducks nuts doesn’t have a live brain cell in his/her head so wouldn’t comprehend my questions.
Perhaps you should read the Governance Framework which has a information on Risk Management and a link to the policy.
https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/about-council/corporate-information#accordion__target-4
Then read the Budget and Operational Plan for specific policies on Debt and Investments. There you will also find projected repayments which are adjusted in quarterly reviews.
https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0029/158843/2022-23-Budget-and-Operational-Plan.pdf
And here is the mid year budget review which includes all the adjusted Financial Statements and projections.
https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0022/175216/2022-23-Mid-Year-Budget-Review.pdf
So stop speculating and actually go look for the information. For once, everything you need is publicly available.
Nice to see Paul Keating take it to the Canberra press core today. In his usual style he didn’t miss his targets.
The poor wretches had no answers for this old pensioner who had no political spin and plenty of spine to stand up to the Canberra copyrighters who frequently fail to do the slightest bit of analysis.
Will be watching the address again when its posted on Youtube in a few days https://www.youtube.com/@NationalPressClubofAustralia
That’s ‘corps’.
Corpse?
‘Corpse’ applies exclusively to Rupert’s mob, not everybody.
oops – got it.
You don’t have to wait for Fables Book you can view it any time on ABC iView!
The ‘Pie is at a bit of a loose end this arvo, while waiting in front of the screen for the Bulletin’s story on the mayor’s unforgiveable behaviour towards our Federal MP … not a dicky bird so far.
So he thought while he waits that he’d publish this, just to annoy Tropical. It is the list of facts that puncture one of the republican far right loonies favourite myths.
This does not annoy me at all because it is complete and utter bullshit that you specialize in.
I could refute it but you doe not like being shoen up as the bullshit artist that you are.
Seethe, baby, seethe.
Lethbridge in the Courier makes a very neat point of the social hypocrisy of the Albanese decision making.
Wait for it…Sarah Fetguson on ABC 7:30 Report just interviewed a USN Admiral. She was desperate to show that nuclear subs were a horrendous environmental risk. Stymied at every turn, she demanded in her usual rude and arrogant manner, “But what if a nuclear submarine was hit by a nuclear missile?” True story.
That is just you being silly, Grumps, The ‘Pie watched that interview and all the preceding facets of the story, and it covered equally both the pluses and minuses of the issue. Certainly she asked that question … indeed, if I recall correctly, it was the very last question, and it was a legitimate but very much a short supplementary question that viewers (except you, apparently) would want to be informed about. The admiral’s answer was a bit of a nothing burger, saying the nuclear component on submarines was well fortified or words to that effect. ‘Stymied at every turn’ displays your closed-mind approach to proper reporting because of your own bias.
Mags, if someone shoots a nuclear missile at a nuclear submarine, then the last thing we would be concerned about is the environmental impact. We would be in the middle of a thermonuclear war.
Knowing that you’re a stickler for the truth, here is the verbatim question: ‘what happens nif a nuclear submarine carrying a nuclear reactor is hit by a missile?
The missile wasn’t necessarily nuclear-armed, and anyway, your conclusion is the Cold War theory of MAD, Mutually Assured Destruction. But times have changed, and it is possible nuclear weapons may be used in a limited confrontation (watch for Ukraine in this space), and therefore, according to you, the more the merrier, doesn’t matter how many are exploded by a secondary trigger.
In their wisdom, Townsville City Council has started a series to promote meal planning and portion control to reduce waste. While food waste is certainly an issue, Council should focus on more pressing matters at hand. Like sorting out our water problems, fixing potholes, picking up our bins, mowing the overgrown parks, maintaining public spaces, contract management and managing the planning scheme. Perhaps if they got these matters under control I’d be less inclined to be fucked off when some self important, out of touch flunky from the communications department, tells me my eyes are not bigger than my stomach.
https://www.facebook.com/100064821813069/posts/pfbid02UqnedwMgvY9Cnryw619vtfWNaiafqv9KvuB6qzF2NpoV5kWDoAh6ActeKjhWSKGol/?mibextid=Nif5oz
First, never had a problem with bin collection, in fact, some low life probably from a meths lab pinched a bin a few weeks ago (what other use can there be for a wheelie bin making it worth stealing) and it was replaced within 48 hours by the council.
But yes, absolutely correct, such dietary advice is none of the council’s business, it is pointless and no one will take a blind bit of notice. But they’ve got form in this area, so watch out for whom they get to promote this idiotic piece of gross impertinence. After all, wasn’t the idea to pay Jamie Durey hundreds of thousands of dollars to advise us when to turn our garden taps on and off. And some dimwits here criticise Fran O’Callaghan for saying one of her aims is to stop this sort of waste of ratepayer money.
Totally agree with you Magpie. TCC need to refocus on their core local government responsibilities.
The old phrase “Excellence is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well” springs to mind.
Instead of wasting ratepayer’s money and Council time and resources on fluff like this they should instead be striving to do their basic ordinary responsibilities (roads, rubbish, water, parks & gardens) extraordinarily well.
Spot on. And that is EXACTLY THE CORE PLATFORM of Fran O’Callaghan.
Magpiee,I’ve heard wheelie bins are very useful as compost bins and as storage bins in your shed. So it could have been some upstanding citizen just doing some home maintenance.
OK, mate your secret is safe with The ‘Pie.
Ducks nuts, you are a weirdo. Your mad ramblings rarely make sense. R u ok? Go take your lithium pills and tell the Mullet I said hello.
Duhhh cheesy…
Unlike you I don’t go around insinuating people are bipolar. I believe that’s now a form of discrimination you ignorant fuck.
No, you just go around insinuating they are ignorant fucks, which is, of course, OK.
Yes magpie, it is. Suggesting someone has a mental health condition to insult them is ignorant.
Around here, so often accurate. And in your case, Ducky, based on the thread through all your comments, possible catatonia, which may involve repetitive or purposeless overactivity, or catalepsy, resistance to passive movement, and negativism.
Oh dear, has that nasty old ‘Pie melted you, snowflake?
Pot, kettle, Magpie.
Thank you, Oscar.
And so it begins reprise!
The gall of this women beggars belief!
“Gabba’s $1bn rebuild price tag from a ‘press release’
The only documentation backing the original price tag to rebuild the stadium was in a press release, the Auditor General reveals.?
The full story is behind a paywall https://www.theaustralian.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=TAWEB_WRE170_a&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theaustralian.com.au%2Fnation%2Fpolitics%2Fgabbas-original-1bn-price-tag-from-a-press-release%2Fnews-story%2F25faa428ca388c41ce0234cacba7132f&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=dynamic-low-control-score&V21spcbehaviour=append
Paywalled links aren’t allowed around here.
Good point. Annoying for those who can open them. No more thanks.
Can anyone confirm the qualifications of our current councillors?
At first glance it appears no one, Jenny aside, has completed a university degree…
A rather uneducated bunch compared to other council’s….
…Unless you count the 34 TAFE Diplomas including real estate, floral design, reiki and clowning and mime…
There was a time gone by when councillors included their qualifications clearly in their biographies however the decision must have been made to shift from this convention so to not bring attention to the fact the the collective intelligence is low.
Not having a degree is not an indicator of low intelligence, I’ve spent a lifetime correcting and enlightening a range of educated idiots, many of whom could write a thesis about a screwdriver but still wouldn’t know which end to hold.
Remember the adage those who can do, those that can’t teach.
hahaha, so you’ve sent much of your life …. teaching?
Not really, I’ve been “un-teaching”, filling the academic void with practical knowledge.
Considering “Chinese dumpling’s” accolade regarding our Mayor as a role model for the benefits of having a degree is hardly an endorsement of academia!
‘Un-teaching’? Is that from the same dictionary as ‘alternative facts’? ‘… filling the academic void with practical knowledge‘ equals … um, let’s see … oh, I know -‘teaching’!!.
From memory Molachino has an associate degree in something, on top of the obvious masters he must have in grovelling.
It’s a B A … Barista Artiste.
Me too Pie, I am one r short of being a barrister.
Go look on their profiles. Some of them even have a Company Directors qualification. Lol.
https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/about-council/mayor-and-councillors/councillor-profiles
Who is the editor of the Townsville Bulletin ? Over 600 comments in support of Phil Thompson + all the shared Facebook posts on Mayor Hill ruling he was not allowed on stage during Citizenship Ceremony due to some questionable protocol defence and no coverage in the city’s newspaper .
Craig herbert. This week, anyway.
Outraged by Mayor Jenny Hill’s spiteful act in stopping our elected Federal representative Phil Thompson handing out Australian flags a a citizen ceremony, I sent both the editor and reporter Leighton Smith an email yesterday with a link to the comment on Thompson’s Facebook page, advising that my reason for sending it was so they couldn’t claim they hadn’t heard about it.
Nothing online so far and not a word in today’s print edition.
So are they so short staffed they haven’t had time to write the story, do they think what Mayor Hill has done is acceptable, or are they in Hill’s pocket?
How the hell is Fran O’Callaghan, or any other mayoral candidate going to get a fair go with the local media?
Jenny Hill is continually getting away with secrecy and failure because our local newspaper is either too afraid or too reliant on council advertising revenueto take her to task.
The editor’s refusal to get an understandable (without smoke and mirrors) explanation of how that $700,000 appears to have disappeared from a council budget is another example of the kid gloves treatment Hill gets, not only from the local paper, but also Seven News.
The editor should be required to change his slogan from “We’re For You” to “We’re For Hill”.
Hello, and Welcome to Townsville!
Seeing that the Australian flags are supplied by the Federal Government, it’s appropriate that the Federal member should hand them out.
Not necessarily, gifts are given as a bundle for efficiency.
Hate The Magpie for loving this, but THIS is what sanity is up against. Bethany Mandel has written a book on her being ‘woke’ concerning Stolen Youth, but has an hilarious moment when trying to define ‘woke’.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/woke-conservative-twitter-author-bethany-mandel-b2301684.html
The WOKE movement reminds me of another fable (wanted to use the word fairytale but didn’t want to offend Steve of Belgian Gardens) called the ‘Emperors New Clothes” !!
The original coinage of ‘woke’, regrettably taken from the Afro-American babble talk for ‘awake to’, was a reasonable contention of being awake to- i.e woke – social inequity and injustice across all its forms, and calling it out on social media. The term was then hijacked and morphed into twisted (mainly American Republican) equivalence as political correctness and loopy extreme views. That then prompted extreme left wingers to do their own job on the meaning of woke, so it is now practically meaningless.
But The Magpie doesn’t need a trendy new word to cover his basic concepts of justice and reasonable behaviour towards one another, the original meaning of ‘woke’ …. just a dab of decency and fair-mindedness is all that is required.
Last year’s Labor candidate in the Seat of Herbert, John Ring’s comment on the Mayor’s despicable Citizenship Ceremony actions.
“Once again our Fedral MP makes it all about himself. That’s not Serving the Community. Welcome to our new Australian Citizens.”
I can think of 25,000 reasons/votes why this clown should keep his mouth shut!
But where did you see that comment? not the Bulletin, surely. Not doubting, just really curious.
Sorry Mr. Pie. should have elaborated!
On the “Mayor Jenny Hill” Facebook page.
There’s also a letter there addressing the issue from the vindictive vixen, which makes hilarious reading.
I’ll leave you to deal with that!
My Kingdom for a link EB?
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=754387106277333&set=pcb.754378822944828&__cft__0=AZVmyQaWQVVS4MiCt_GnNoPFg7iQWnwya8513ZGMEmWM8NlQ_bplKdRvGZKjyHSRKRmpsbc04FAzLW1uq71TZuqaktLRChMLu_V9UuSbi9yZxZwqUVJ61o9de-fQ2gdfju-_xFvVi2BnNHC0Ld4YXdlS4gdz6ctie9unrGXIRChqJpusFKo0DL6M3bIVJkhaPqI&__cft__1=AZVmyQaWQVVS4MiCt_GnNoPFg7iQWnwya8513ZGMEmWM8NlQ_bplKdRvGZKjyHSRKRmpsbc04FAzLW1uq71TZuqaktLRChMLu_V9UuSbi9yZxZwqUVJ61o9de-fQ2gdfju-_xFvVi2BnNHC0Ld4YXdlS4gdz6ctie9unrGXIRChqJpusFKo0DL6M3bIVJkhaPqI&__tn__=*bH-R-R
So he can hand out business cards but not flags? this is strange
The letter has now been published by tenacious D and separately by The Magpie.
Such a heartbreaking personal story of NW Queensland at the moment.
Other than financial grants, I’m left wondering what the government is doing for people in NW Queensland. If this was happening in SE Queensland I’m certain that every possible resource would be made available and we’d be getting daily media coverage.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid021DZoWbe8p9yhM67CNxDXGGNibGDyNS5pmrayEWytN5csqfiZWwrxmEgrYFAZp8ukl&id=100086644024889
Your paper that is all for you, worth every cent of your $2.80.
This is pathetic, it exemplifies the lack of any community leadership role with which papers traditionally were empowered. No attempt to be better than social media, just vtrying to grab a share of the vacuous. Not a word on Mayor Jenny hill’s brain explosion in banning our federal MP Phil Thompson handing out Australian flag badges to new citizens …. no, not a single mention despite the fact that The Magpie has it on unimpeachable authority that the paper has been inundated with a tsunami of angry texts, emails and letters.
INSTEAD, this is the level of news we receive for our $2.80.
Perhaps the snapper asked the youngsters to show what they thought of the Bulletin.
But wait, The’Pie’s just being silly, of cours there was some exclusive news sleuthing allowing the Astonisher to get in ahead of the (ha!) competition.
And not surprisingly for this publication (motto: yesterday’s news tomorrow) they decided to treat us to a Brisbane report on last year’s news.
And as usual, the paper missed the opportunity to localise outside content but were too lazy to add Mayor Mullet to the montage. Could’ve run a local version of ‘Where’s Wally?’ … ‘Where’s Jenny?’.
They are not newspapers (or news services) and they aren’t staffed by journalists. They are advertising platforms for Harvey Norman and other advertisers and their journalists are copy and pasters. The lack of quality is unbelievable and we would seriously be better off without them. I don’t buy the papers, have t for years. Easier to just Google the news.
Some good news at last – the Bayview Restaurant and Bar (on the site of the old Crown Hotel, and more recently known as the Waterview Restaurant) has reopened. Went there last night and the place has had a complete makeover. Giant – as in humungous – tv screens to watch the footy, great food at a reasonable price, friendly staff, a kids play area, and pool tables where the Sports Bar used to be. It will be a welcome addition to the Steak and Burger Strip aka Palmer Street. And no, I’m not connected to the restaurant in any way, except as a customer. The Townsville Bulletin will no doubt publish a story on it – but only if Jenny Hill approves.
The ‘Pie’s guess is you live close by.
Two things guaranteed to start a fight in a pub are pool tables and jukeboxes…
Three pars and TWO by-lines!
FFS! This “newspaper” just gets steadily worse!
Geez, whadda want? They included an ad for car insurance, dinnin they?
On Mayor Dill’s Faecesbook page she mentions COVID protocols as one of the reasons Phil got shafted. Ha! She really is a moron. Her lightweight response riddled with gentle sarcasm is probably her way of trying to put out the fire that she lit. Regardless of the contrite letter, she is, has always been, and forever will be a nasty, spiteful, venom spewing douchebag.
Fair dos on this matter. and we’ll let the mayor speak for herself, as she did on her FB page. Let’s face it, at the time of posting this comment, the community’s only newspaper doesn’t see a story here – although the mayor certainly does.
Mrs Hill has taken passive/aggressive to a new level, but this is just nuts and really explains nothing. If Mr Thompson is to be believed (and let’s not make this a contest, only one winner there), while he was ‘allowed’ (what a fucking cheek!!) to hand out business cards, why not just include the badge when handing out the card? What did you do, madam mayor, to not allow this to happen?
And the burning question with such an obvious answer, if it had been a federal Labor local member, would you have had the guts – or reason- to act in such a spiteful, petty way – and lie while doing so?
The same situation, only worse, is ready to happen at Dingo Park Road out at Reid River. Council has put up $2 million for realignment and upgrading of the dusty gravel track into the boonies and appears to be in the process of spending it – the trucks are rolling now. But the Commonwealth has put up much more dough ($8m) and hasn’t made any media appearance yet. Interestingly, Bob Katter has already laid claim to winning the money out of the Morrison government (thanks pork barreller Barnaby Joyce) but the road is in Phil’s Herbert electorate.
Very shortly, serious campaigning for the local government elections will become apparent and Jenny Hill’s Lansdown legacy will be front and centre. By arranging for the new Labor federal minister and cheque writer (Catherine King) to cut the ribbon or step on the shovel at the spendathon, possibly with CopperString Bob standing by, Hill will simultaneously sideline Phillip Thompson and emasculate Cr. Fran, her only known opponent for the mayoralty and smack bang in Fran’s to-be-abandoned Division 10. No doubt the newly minted Labor candidate for the division will be on show. You couldn’t make this stuff up.
If you’re scenario were to come about, i.e excluding the sitting councillor for the division – AND replacing her with a yet to be elected candidate – would break a number of regulations, including those governing campaigning. But a bit far fetched even for you, Oily Fingers.
Regulations? Sheesh Magpie. One way or another you have said it first and frequently, this is an election not a bloody afternoon tea party. Nobody gonna play nice, especially when there’s a $200K salary at stake.
Could be a great story, this stoush between Hill and Phil, but Lightweight Leighton is too busy working on stories such as ‘top 100 beautiful criminals’, ‘man teaches horse to play ukulele’, and ‘Gerry Harvey’s top 10 favourite sex positions’. Isn’t that right Jimmy?
So did the Rotten Mullet stop Phil or the Premier from having a role last year or in 2021 when we actually had a problem with COVID? Just pathetic.
The world has changed since the onset of COVID. Any additional measures that our elected leaders take to minimise the risk of COVID is a plus.
hahahahahahahaha … and The ‘Pie doesn’t believe that came from Steve of Belligerent Gardens, even he’s not that lame. And no ‘of’ in the name.
But Anna kept us fucken safe SBG. FFS.
So if he was handing out cards, why wasn’t he allowed to give a flag? Did anyone hand out flags? Is the flag, one of the three gifts?
He could have but chose to distribute business cards instead.
Have you not been following the thread?
Just watched the Sky interview on Phils FB; impression that I got from that is that the flag was banned outright. The comments on the page back up this impression as well.
Surely not?
See Phil’s response. Posted in the comments section of his original post. He is calling BS on the Mullet. Forget AUKUS shit is getting nuclear in the Ville.
Watching the ladies golf from Singapore, up pops the name A Krouter from Germany having a putt, WTF were her parents thinking.
Why is it a surprise that a German would have a German name that sounds like a German word that became slang for German?
Well, certainly not as surprising as Germany’s winter olympian of some years ago, skier Fanny Chmelar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jl1Zfz-Widc
When I worked in Adelaide many years ago among our customers were Heinrich Fartz and Karl Kuntz.
I also had a girlfriend of German descent and she would call her Granddad Gross Farter.
No more surprising that families with the surname FUCHS!
What about the Melbourne family Mr and Mrs Peacock, who named their son Drew.
or Pap for short
I hope someone gets charged over this incident!!!
https://amp.abc.net.au/article/102103618
And hopefully it is the parents for their criminal lack of care for their child
Boom – Fran O’Callaghan has officially entered the mayoral race with today’s Facebook post. She has also asked that others think about putting their hat in the ring for councillor positions.Go Fran!
This is Harpic’s contribution to the debate on the strengthened’Youth Justice’ laws.
AARON HARPER – ALP
Suddenly they have forgotten what happened before 2015 and before Labor came to government. Let me give members a history lesson.
The member for Burdekin was out the front with the federal member for Herbert wearing a blue shirt, along with the other LNP members. Their actions are politically motivated and designed to divide our community with fear and hatred. Those members should hang their heads in shame.
FFS, what an idiot.
From Frans Facebook page this afternoon. Let the games begin……
Happy St Patrick’s Day – I’ll need more than the luck of the Irish for this one!
Fran O’Callaghan announces bid to be city’s next Mayor:
Division 10 Councillor Fran O’Callaghan today fired the starting gun on her campaign to be the next Mayor of Townsville.
Cr O’Callaghan, a grazier and former quantity surveyor, will campaign on a platform of bringing back transparency and accountability to local government.
“In my case, I believe the voter will have tried before they buy,” she said.
“In the two years that I have served as a councillor, I have looked to fight hard for the interests of the ratepayers.
“Every ratepayer dollar is precious; Council must provide real and tangible value for those dollars it receives.
Cr O’Callaghan expressed dismay at recent policy changes within Council.
“Unfortunately, the goal posts have been changed in this Council since I was elected with regard to meeting procedures and acceptable requests that councillors can make,” she said.
“These rules need to revert to how they were before I was elected; if it was appropriate for the current Councillors for their past terms, why the need to tighten the rules up now? she said.
“Accountability and transparency are nice buzzwords, I know, but I strongly believe these principles should underpin all Council decisions, especially when costs are escalating for households and businesses.
“Council should be a democratic organisation, not run as a one-woman or one-man show – it should be a collection of elected community residents with the Mayor having some additional responsibilities as legislated under the Local Government Act.
“Councillors should be treated equally within Council with regard to access to Council information and the like,” she said.
Cr O’Callaghan is a fierce opponent of politics in local government.
“I am standing as an independent and am proud to say that I have no political affiliation,” she said.
“That’s why I’ve restricted maximum donations to my campaign to $499 – by keeping donations under the $500 threshold, the identity of donors will be protected and, if elected, I will not have to leave meetings because of a conflict of interest relating to donations to my campaign” said Cr O’Callaghan.
“My loyalty is to the ratepayers of this great city.”
“I want to also encourage anyone who is thinking of running in the 2024 election to give it a go; Townsville needs more people in Council who have been on the outside looking in instead of the inside looking out.”
But Cr O’Callaghan announced she would not be running with a team.
“I’m not in favour of teams in council as I believe there shouldn’t be any team obligations or pressures on Councillors when they are making decisions in local government,” she said.
“I am prepared to work with any councillor elected by the people of Townsville who acts in a fair and reasonable manner for the good of the city.
“Townsville residents have seen my approach – what you see is what you get with no fanfare.”
Cr O’Callaghan’s campaign will be built around the slogan she used in her surprise Division 10 win two years ago – “IF ANYONE CAN, FRAN CAN”.
Oh well, forget about the ambulance. Morleys can park their van at the bottom of the cliff.
Are you suggesting the Rotten Mullet will be involved in more dangerous driving and end up over a cliff, Wanker? Sounds promising.
The rest of Australia knows about Jenny Hill denying Phil Thompson the chance to hand out Aussie flags at a Townsville citizenship ceremony:
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/other/mp-denied-the-opportunity-to-hand-out-australian-flags-at-a-citizenship-ceremony/ar-AA18KGCQ?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=e43e7297d8084097b5cf6c4f9e60a4f1&ei=70
But this latest piece of vicious nastiness from our mayor has somehow escaped the notice of the Townsville Bulletin editor and his sidekick Leighton “Jimmy Olsen” Smith.
If you want to know what’s really happening in Townsville these days it appears you either have to read the Magpie blog or surf the net.
Disgraceful.
The ceremonies are meant to be non-political and inclusive, providing a welcoming environment for new citizens to feel a sense of belonging to their new home.
When a politician attempts to politicize a citizenship ceremony, it can undermine the integrity of the event and send the message that new citizens are being welcomed into a political party or agenda, rather than into the broader Australian community.
It is important for politicians to respect the non-political nature of citizenship ceremonies and to use other forums to promote their political views or agenda.
My dear old herring, is that your application for a job with the diplomatic corps? Brilliant. Every word true and cannot be contradicted BUT YOUR COMMENT COULD BE A SIDE SWIPE AT EITHER PARTY, MAYOR MULLET OR PHIL THOMPSON!! Hahahah.
Hmm, hang on … maybe both?
I reckon both of them use every opportunity to take a swipe. Neither are holier than thou.
There’s still no clear info on whether flags were handed out by anyone. FB outrage makes out like the Aussie flag was banned outright (just BS)
Didn’t see any claim of an outright ban, certainly not in these nest comments. Sounds like someone’s trying to rage farm.
I wish Fran every success, I really do, but I have a concern.
In her first term as mayor, the Mullet’s hideous excesses were kept in check by the level headed councillors of the day. Then came Team Hill and Townsville’s decline commenced.
Should Fran be elected mayor, and the council is dominated by ALP Team Hill sympathizers, Fran’s reforms will most likely be blocked.
Not sure that stands up to scrutiny, Dave. If Fran becomes mayor, those existing councillors who are re-elected will surely have got the message from the electorate that things have changed. Some may even welcome the removal of the shackles of gratitude (at having been slid into $130k per year on the understanding of compliance with The Mullet’s wishes). They may feel with re-election comes a new freedom to be able to debate their own ideas without fear of censure or vindictive payback.
Dave, according to the Register of Interests (thanks for the link Ducks Nuts), apart from Hill, only four councillors are members of the ALP. If Hill loses and Soars retires, on current numbers the ALP will have only minor representation in a new council. If someone not Clive Palmer puts up a new mayoral candidate, say, from the Chamber of Commerce or an attractive electable indie, non-Hill, non-ALP voters will be thrown into an exquisite dilemma. Press on with Fran or jump ship? Oo ahh!
There’s going to be a lot more of your ‘what if’ wishful thinking like this before the year is out, Greased Palms.